Tradtional English Afternoon Tea

An English Afternoon Tea is a very special treat to prepare for your family and friends. Tea is usual taken between 3 and 5 o' clock. This tradition is still kept up in all the fine Hotels in Britain and in little Tearooms all around the country, especially in Devon where the scones are a specialty. In The Ritz, London, this is still a big event and one has to book well in advance for this. You start with a selection of very thin sandwiches, like thinly sliced cucumber, smoked salmon and egg mayonnaise and mustered cress sandwiches. This is followed by scones with strawberry jam and clotted cream and a selection of cakes.

Tea with cream or lemon is served with this. Recipe for Fruitcake with Rum: Delicious and easy to make. It originally comes from Germany and can also be called Königskuchen. It is best baked the day before and will keep for a long time in a cool place.

Use two 1 lb loaf tins. 8 oz (225 g ) unsalted butter ( soft ) 6 oz (170 g ) caster sugar 4 large eggs 1 lb (450 g ) self raising flour or plain flour with 6 level teaspoons of baking powder ( sifted ) 4 oz (110 g ) sultanas 4 oz (110 g ) currants 4 oz (110 g ) candied , chopped orange and lemon peel (mixed ) grated rind of one lemon ( unwaxed or organic ) 4 tablespoons of rum a little vanilla extract pinch of salt 1 or 2 tablespoons of milk, if needed Preheat oven at 180 C (350 F -gas 4 ) Cooking time : a good 1 hour cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy add vanilla essence, grated lemon rind and pinch of salt and mix in stir in 1 egg at a time with some of the sifted flour, mix in the rum and stir in gradually all the flour, if the mixture is too dry add some milk, but the cake mixture should not be to runny as the fruit would sink to the bottom while baking, now add your sultanas, currants, mixed peels and mix all together, put cake mixture into a baking tin, which has been greased and dusted with flour, place in oven and bake check if ready by inserting a skewer and if it comes out clean it is ready allow the cake to cool for a few minutes in the tin, then turn out onto wire rack to cool completely and dust with icing sugar. You can find more recipes on: http://www.myhouseandgarden.com .

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